Lower leg support device for a vehicle seat, and vehicle seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12491809-B2
Application number	US-202318208917-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2023
Priority date	Jun 13, 2022
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

A lower leg support device for a vehicle seat may have a first cushion carrier, a second cushion carrier, which is connected in an articulated manner to the first cushion carrier, and a coupling gear for transferring the first cushion carrier and the second cushion carrier from a non-use position to a use position. The coupling gear is able to be driven by a drive device. A vehicle seat may have the lower leg support device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A lower leg support device for a vehicle seat, comprising: a first cushion carrier, a second cushion carrier, which is connected in an articulated manner to the first cushion carrier, and a coupling gear for transferring the first cushion carrier and the second cushion carrier from a non-use position to a use position, wherein the coupling gear is able to be driven by a drive device, wherein the coupling gear has a drive linkage comprised of a first linkage part and a second linkage part wherein the first and second linkage parts are rotationally connected together up to a critical load by a spring device, wherein the spring device is a leg spring having a main body and two legs, wherein the main body at least partially encircles a connecting tube to which the first linkage part and the second linkage part are connected, and wherein the legs cross and then diverge from one another.

2 . The lower leg support device according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling gear is able to be driven by exactly one drive device.

3 . The lower leg support device according to claim 1 , wherein the first cushion carrier in the non-use position is pivoted in such a manner about an axis running parallel to a transverse direction that an upholstered surface of a first upholstery part fastened to the first cushion carrier points predominantly towards the front.

4 . The lower leg support device according to claim 1 , wherein the second cushion carrier in the non-use position is pivoted in such a manner about an axis running parallel to a transverse direction that an upholstered surface of a second upholstery part fastened to the second cushion carrier points predominantly downward.

5 . The vehicle seat for use with an autonomously driving motor vehicle comprising the lower leg support device according to claim 1 .

6 . The vehicle seat according to claim 5 , wherein the vehicle seat has a seat platform and a backrest articulated on the seat platform, the seat platform having a base, a seat frame and an adjustment kinematics which is effective between the base and the seat frame and is embodied as a five-joint kinematics.

7 . The vehicle seat according to claim 6 , wherein the adjustment kinematics has a first front linkage, a second front linkage and a rear linkage, wherein the first front linkage is articulated on the base so as to be pivotable about a first rotation axis, the second front linkage is articulated on the first front linkage so as to be pivotable about a second rotation axis, the second front linkage is articulated on the seat frame so as to be pivotable about a third rotation axis, the rear linkage is articulated on the seat frame so as to be pivotable about a fourth rotation axis, and the rear linkage is articulated on the base so as to pivotable about a fifth rotation axis.

8 . The vehicle seat according to claim 7 , wherein for providing a height-adjustment function, an angle between the first front linkage and the base, and an angle between the rear linkage and the base, are variable by a first actuating drive, wherein an angle between the second front linkage and the seat frame remains constant.

9 . The vehicle seat according to claim 7 , wherein for providing an inclined position of the seat frame and the backrest, an angle between the second front linkage and the seat frame can be variable by a second actuating drive.

10 . The vehicle seat according to claim 9 , wherein the drive device of the lower leg support device is formed by the second actuating drive.

11 . The lower leg support device for a vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the first linkage part is in contact with the drive device and the first and second linkage parts have first end portions mounted on the same connecting tube.

12 . The lower leg support device for a vehicle seat of claim 11 , wherein the first linkage part is fixedly connected to the connecting tube.

13 . The lower leg support device for a vehicle seat of claim 11 , wherein the second linkage part is rotatably connected to the connecting tube.

14 . The lower leg support device for a vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the spring device preloads the first linkage part and the second linkage part with respect to one another to couple the first and second linkage parts until the critical load is reached.

15 . The lower leg support device for a vehicle seat of claim 11 , wherein when the critical load is reached, the second linkage part rotates about the connecting tube relative to the first linkage part.

16 . The lower leg support device for a vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the first linkage part and the second linkage part are co-rotationally connected to one another up to the critical load by the spring device.

17 . The lower leg support device for a vehicle seat of claim 1 , wherein the second linkage part is mounted on a connecting tube to be rotatable but offset in relation to a first joint comprising a rotational axis.

Assignees

• Adient Us Llc

Inventors

• Enns Viktor
• Dill Thomas
• Pluta Wolfgang
• Dick Erik

Classifications

• A47C7/506

  of adjustable type · CPC title

• A47C7/5066

  by rotation · CPC title

• A47C1/035

  in combination with movably-coupled seat and back-rest · CPC title

• A47C1/037

  in combination with a leg-rest or foot-rest · CPC title

• A47C1/0355

  actuated by linkages, e.g. lazy-tongs mechanisms · CPC title